After WADA suspended NDTL for up to six months due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), IOA president Narinder Batra has lashed out at the NADA.

IOA president Narinder Batra claimed National Sports Federations (NSFs) are not in a position to bear the extra cost as NADA will now have to get samples tested by a WADA-accredited laboratory outside India. - PTI

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday lashed out at the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for the suspension of the country’s only WADA-accredited laboratory, saying NADA’s “mistakes” have jeopardised the anti-doping programme.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suspended the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in Delhi for six months “due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL)”. The NADA can appeal the suspension in the next 21 days.

The NADA can still carry on with sample collection (blood and urine) but will have to get them tested by a WADA-accredited laboratory outside India.

“We will now have to pay in dollars instead of rupees. My only concern now is who will bear the extra cost?” IOA President Narinder Batra told PTI.

“The National Sports Federations (NSFs) are not in a position to bear the extra cost. And why should we bear the extra cost for NADA’s mistakes?” he asked.

The WADA said the suspension came after its Laboratory Expert Group (LabEG) initiated disciplinary proceedings with regards to status of WADA-accredited laboratories across the globe.

The IOA chief said a negligent NADA sat on the issue for a long time despite repeated reminders from WADA.

“This issue has been going on internally for the last one year. The WADA has been pointing drawbacks in the NDTL’s testing methods but the NADA has failed to manage its affairs,” Batra said.

- NDTL suspension a "big setback", says AFI official -

A senior Athletics Federation of India (AFI) official said the move to suspend National Dope Testing Laboratory by WADA as a “big setback.” But reiterated that it was an own-goal by NDTL [and NADA].

“It is of its own making. Quite a few tests which were found negative turned out to be positive when tested abroad. And moreover, they (NADA) should have been more active. Only recently they have been quite active. They skipped many National age group championships. They should have tightened the system of checking,” the official told Sportstar.

With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics looming large, the official wondered about the future. “The collected samples now have to be sent abroad which will cost a lot more and involve lot more time. It’s difficult times,” he said.

(With inputs from K. Keerthivasan)

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